No meltdown for ODU this time, Monarchs beat Villanova 37-14

October 22, 2011|By Andy Jasner, CORRESPONDENT

VILLANOVA, Pa. – This time, there would be no letdown.

Or meltdown.

No. 21 Old Dominion built a 30-14 lead at halftime and never allowed Villanova back in the game en route to a 37-14 road victory Saturday at Villanova Stadium. ODU also handed Villanova its worst home loss since falling 38-13 to Delaware on Nov. 19, 2005.

It was a welcome change from last Saturday's 39-35 loss to Towson, in which the Monarchs let an 11-point advantage whittle away in the final 3 1/2 minutes. What especially stung ODU was allowing Towson to convert a fourth-and-29 play for a 63-yard touchdown with 1:07 remaining.

"I was really impressed with it," ODU coach Bobby Wilder said of the victory over the Wildcats. "Last week was as heartbreaking a loss that I've ever been involved in, played in or coached in. We could have gone right in the tank. We were aggressive from the start."

The Monarchs didn't allow that play – or the loss – to affect their game against the Wildcats (1-7, 0-5), who have dropped four in a row. After winning the national championship in 2009 and advancing to the national semifinals last year, this young group of Wildcats has struggled.

But the youthful Monarchs (6-2, 3-2) are marching in a different direction.

Freshman quarterback Taylor Heinicke threw for two touchdowns and ran for another score. He completed 23-of-32 passes for 204 yards with seven different receivers catching at least one pass.

Heinicke, a true freshman, continues to shine with Thomas DeMarco sidelined with a high ankle sprain.

"With the receivers we have, it's pretty easy to succeed in this offense," Heinicke said. "If you shoot it for them to catch it, they're going to catch it."

ODU's opportunistic defense forced four turnovers – three fumbles and one interception.

Twenty-six different ODU players registered at least one tackle, with cornerback Aaron Evans leading the way with four.

It was a team effort all the way from beginning to end.

"I'm over it now," linebacker Craig Wilkins said of last week's distressing loss. "We had to get over it after Saturday. Some of our fans didn't get over it as fast. It was a long week. I went to get ice cream and I heard about it. I went to class and I heard about it. You know, our fans care."

The players responded in emphatic fashion.

Nick Mayers caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Heinicke with 24 seconds left before halftime, giving ODU a 30-14 lead and the most first-half points all season.

Unlike last Saturday, the Monarchs kept the pressure on.

Following an interception by Wilkins at the Villanova 16, ODU ran five plays, culminated by Angus Harper's 1-yard plunge with 6:56 left in the third for a 37-14 lead.

The rout was on and the bad memories from the prior week were erased for the moment.

"If somebody said to me that we were going to be 6-2 and 3-2 in the league at this point before the season started, I'd have given him a big hug and kiss," Wilder said. "I'll take it."

Reaching the playoffs is a distinct possibility for the Monarchs, but they don't want to get ahead of themselves.

A home matchup looms against James Madison on Saturday, followed by Richmond on Nov. 5 and a trip to William and Mary one week after that. The road doesn't get any easier.

And there's no guarantee ODU will even get there. All the Monarchs can do is keep playing like they did against the Wildcats.

"We have to just go out and play every week like it's our last," Heinicke said. "Our fate is in our hands if we keep winning."